


The Buttercup Curse

by mysconesaredelicious



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flowerfell, Alternate Universe - Underfell, Canon-Typical Violence, Flowers, Madness, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-02 19:18:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8680261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysconesaredelicious/pseuds/mysconesaredelicious
Summary: Every time Frisk dies, a new buttercup grows on their body at the place of the killing blow. Almost every monster in the Underground wants to kill them for some reason or another. Some out of madness, some out of a love for violence, and some out of the hope for freedom. All Frisk wants to do is get home, but that is easier said than done. Sans initially hates them, but as he begrudgingly joins them on their quest, the world around them - and Frisk's situation - slowly start to make more sense. But can they reach the barrier before Frisk's body becomes entirely encased in poisoning buttercups?





	1. Prologue - The First Buttercup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk falls into the underground.

Frisk awoke. They were lying flat on their back, staring up into darkness. From high above, there was the faintest pinprick of light. For a moment, they just squinted up at it and tried to think about what happened. Nothing came to mind. No image of traveling somewhere, but their body ached as if they had just run a mile. So where were they? What had happened to them? They lolled their head to the side, and gold came into view. Bright, glowing gold. What…?

With a groan, Frisk sat up. Upon looking around, they could see their surroundings better. They were in a flowerbed. Each flower was a brilliant gold, glowing somewhat despite the darkness of the cavern. It made the ground around the flower bed visible, but the air still black. Frisk reached out and plucked one blossom, lifting it to eye level.

“…A buttercup,” they mumbled aloud, twirling the stem slowly. “Huh…”

The rest of the room was empty, save for a doorway and a stick. Frisk stood up and brushed off some grass stains and petals. In normal circumstances, a simple stick didn’t seem all that useful. But since they didn’t know where they were, it was best to have something with them. They picked it up and headed for the doorway.

 

The next room was much like the first. A nearly identical flowerbed was in the direct center of the room. But there was something different here. One specific flower. One larger than the others, with a face on it. As Frisk approached, the flower looked up. There was a split second where unparalleled fear crossed the flower’s face. But then it twisted into a dark scowl.

“Stop!”

Frisk stopped. Then, slowly, they took another step. Their mouth opened to ask a question, but before they could get out the words, a heartbeat reverberated through them; rapid thumps, so forceful they could be heard aloud. A red heart appeared on their shirt, and the flowers around the single sentient one faded. Everything became black and white. The flower hunched its stem, scowling deeper. The shape of the hunch was reminiscent of a cat’s arched back when on the defensive.

“I said STOP! Take one step closer and I… I will KILL you!”

Frisk’s eyes widened. Their right foot moved, but to take a step backwards, not forwards.

“I-I-I’m sorry…” they stammered. Some instinct led them to cover the heart with both hands, shielding it from danger. “I-I didn’t mean to intrude. I’m not sure where I am or even what’s going on…”

The flower stared at them, straightening up again. The scowl melted into a look of confusion. When it spoke again, its voice wasn’t so hostile.

“You don’t know where you are? Even if you fell by accident, surely you’ve heard of the dangers.”

“What dangers? Where am I? I don’t remember anything.”

It took a deep breath in, then slowly exhaled. Every feature of its ‘body’ softened. It even smiled.

“Oh, human, you’ve met with a terrible fate. This is the Underground, the home of all monsters. My name is Flowey. Flowey the flower.”

“Um, Frisk. Nice to meet you. Monsters? As in, from the monster-human war?”

“Yes. You must’ve fallen while walking around Mount Ebott. Most of the humans that fall down here were either messing around, or… Well, it doesn’t matter why they fell. They’re dead now.”

 

Frisk still had their hands over the red heart on their shirt. It felt real. Beating, vibrant. A prime red. They looked down at it, processing this information. The other humans who'd fallen here were dead. Gone forever.

“I want to go home…”

“You can’t. I’m sorry, Frisk. You’re stuck down here, and soon you’re going to die, just like the others. Monsters hate humans for trapping us down here. Any monster you come across will try to kill you on sight.”

“This can’t be happening to me. I’m supposed to start college this year! My parents were so proud of that. I can’t let them down. I have to go home.”

“You just can’t. I wish it didn’t come to this. You seem nice. You don’t deserve this. But there’s nothing I can do for you.”

“Nothing? Not a thing?”

Frisk looked up at the flower again, vision blurry from tears. They slowly fell to their knees, shoulders slumping. All they could picture right now was their mother calling frantically, leaving message after message, calling out to them up and down streets from the car… but nobody came.

 

“Well… There is one thing I can do for you.”

Flowey broke the silence after a few moments. Frisk was weeping quietly, but at this, they looked up, hope returning to their eyes.

“You can? Tell me, then! What can you do? Can you send me home?”

“No. But I can send you somewhere other than this world. Somewhere a lot less painful.”

A circle of pellets appeared around Frisk, spinning rapidly. Flowey was still smiling, though it looked like a pained, sad smile now. Such a kind look, even though the implication of its words was clear. Frisk tightened their grip on their shirt. The heart shape beat faster, louder. Blood roared in their ears.

“Please don’t. Flowey, no. I don’t-”

“This is for the best. It was nice to meet you, Frisk. Goodbye.”

The pellets closed in and struck. Several burned their hands, making them cry out and release their shirt. The remaining pellets struck true. The heart cracked with an audible sound, and everything faded away.

 

...

...

...

 

You cannot give up just yet…

 

Chara! Stay determined…

 

There was a flash. Frisk awoke. They were lying flat on their back, staring up into darkness. When they sat up, something on their chest stung. A hand reached up automatically, before they had even looked down. There was something soft… Their gaze met gold. There, sprouting from where that heart had been, was a perfectly formed buttercup.

 

\- - - - - - - - - - - -

 

A/N: 

A/N: Soooooo…. Flowerfell is over. It’s creator is done with it. But the concept has been stuck in my head for ages now. This AU holds the same basic premise as Flowerfell (namely, the characters are closely aligned to Underfell characters, Frisk gains a buttercup for every death, and Sans joins them in their journey), but the plotline was something I’d thought up even before knowing much about Flowerfell. I have my own backstories in here, with my own theories and concepts and scientific reasonings. This is an entirely new AU.

I haven’t decided on a ____tale name yet. ButtercupTale? ButtercupFell? FellButtercup? UnderCup? No that one is weird. Maybe… PoisonTale? PoisonFell? Who knows tbh? I’ve just been calling it ‘The Buttercup Curse AU’ so far, so just stick with that.

A lot of the story is already planned in my head, but who knows how long it’ll take me to actually write this thing? For the time being, let’s assume one chaopter a week? Maybe? idk, it depends on my inspiration and how much schoolwork I have to do. We’ll see.

If you give KUDOS for this fanfiction, maybe you could also COMMENT!

Undertale and all characters therein - copyright of Toby Fox


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk goes through the ruins and learns a lot about a goat monster named Toriel

Frisk entered Flowey’s little room cautiously, gripping their stick. They weren’t entirely sure what just happened. But somehow, they were alive. When they stepped inside, Flowey looked up again. Pure shock crossed his face. Frisk braced themself for another attack, but it didn’t come. Flowey just stood there, perfectly still. After a moment, he spoke.  
“You’re alive...”  
Frisk nodded slowly, shifting to grip the stick with both hands.  
“I don’t know how. Just please don’t attack me again... I don’t want to fight.”  
“I-I won’t, Frisk. I’m sorry. I thought that would be best for you. But it looks like you can’t really die, huh? I never thought that... um, listen. I won’t hurt you. You’re probably really confused right now, huh?”  
“Um... yeah.”  
“Listen, just... take a seat. It looks like I have a lot to explain.”

Frisk hesitated a moment, still gripping the stick too tightly, but then slowly nodded. She took a seat in the flowerbed and set the stick down. Flowey took a deep breath, then began to talk.

“Okay. So... what you just did, coming back from the dead, is called a reload. You have the power to reload whenever you want, and when you die. The reason why you have that power is because you have a lot of ‘determination.’ That heart shape that I hit with my pellets? That’s your SOUL. Every human and monster has a SOUL. Human ones are colored – like how yours is red – and monster ones are pure white, and upside down. Human SOULs have ‘determination’ in them, but ours don’t. Get it?”  
Frisk nodded slowly.  
“Yeah, okay. But I’ve never met another human who can come back from the dead.”  
“Right. Well, all human SOULs have some amount of determination, but it looks like yours especially has a lot. A lot more than usual. Even more than mine...”  
“But you’re a monster, aren’t you? Didn’t you say monsters don’t have determination?”  
“Well, yes. I... um... it’s a long story. And I don’t actually know everything about it. Let’s just say... I’m an anomaly, just like you.”  
Flowey gave a wry smile.  
“We’re both outliers here... and in more ways than one. Like I told you, down here, it’s kill or BE killed. But you don’t want to fight, and neither do I. You have the power to save and reload. So... maybe, together, we can make it out of here.”  
Flowey then held out a leaf, as if offering a hand. Frisk stared down at it for a moment, then looked back up at his face.  
“You’ll really... help me get home?”  
“Yeah. I really will, Frisk. Let’s get out of here together.”  
After another moment’s hesitation, Frisk reached out and shook his leaf.  
“Okay. Deal.”  
“Great. Follow me, then!”  
Flowey smiled, then disappeared underground. As Frisk looked around in confusion, then watched him pop up near the other door. Ah, it seemed that was just how he moved. They stood up and picked the stick back up, then followed.

\- - - - - - - - 

The ruins weren’t terribly difficult to get through. At the end of a long hallway, though, Flowey stopped short, trembling.  
“Oh no... she’s coming!”  
“Huh? Who’s coming?”  
Frisk stopped behind him, trailing the stick along behind them absently.  
“The... the caretaker of the ruins... I’ve got to hide!”  
He ducked underground suddenly, and Frisk felt a twinge of panic.  
“W-wait, Flowey! Don’t just leave me here!”

There was no answer. They gulped as they looked back towards the doorway. After a few moments, a woman came through. A goat woman, it looked like, wearing a red dress with some strange symbol on it. Her fur was a little matted, and there was an odd glint in her eyes. Frisk took a step back, shaking, but the goat woman suddenly smiled, her whole demeanor brightening.  
“Oh my goodness! A human! Please do not be afraid, my child.”  
“U-um... you’re not going to hurt me?” Frisk asked meekly.  
The woman shook her head, holding out her hands spread wide, as if to show she only intended peace.  
“Of course not, my child. I am Toriel, caretaker of these ruins. I often come to see if a human has fallen down, and when one does, I take them in and protect them from the nasty inhabitants here.”  
“O-Oh? There are other humans living with you?”  
“Well... sadly, no, they all decided to move on, despite the awful dangers here... Such a pity. I would have protected them with my very life. But now, I shall do that for you!”  
“U-um... thanks.” Frisk decided not to mention yet that they, too, planed on moving on from this area. Instead, they just offered a small smile in return. The goat woman seemed very kind, despite Flowey’s fears. Toriel beamed.  
“Excellent! However, I must go ahead without you, and prepare my house. Just keep following the path, and you will reach my house eventually. I have every faith in you, my child.”  
“S-sure, I can go on my own.”  
“Good! Then I will see you soon.”  
Toriel reached out and patted their head lightly, then turned and walked away.

Flowey appeared in front of Frisk again after a few more moments, sighing in relief.  
“Phew, she didn’t notice me... But this is bad. This is very bad, Frisk.”  
“It is?” Frisk frowned, crouching down to be at Flowey’s level. “I know you’re scared, but she seems so nice...”  
“Nice? Hah! That’s just an act. Toriel is crazy, Frisk. The other humans who tried to leave on her watch? She tried to kill them! If she can’t have them, no one can. That’s what she believes.”  
“Are you serious? B-but she seems so nice!”  
“She’s nice until you give her the slightest hint that you don’t want her to be your mom! Then she shows her true colors. Trust me, I know. I’ve watched other humans die by her hand.”  
“But… I already have a mom. Surely, she’ll understand that?”  
“Not if she thinks you’ll never live to see your real mom again.”  
Frisk sighed, standing up again.  
“Well… I think she might change her mind, especially when she learns I can’t die.”  
“No, Frisk!” Flowey suddenly looked alarmed. “You can’t tell her about the SAVE power!”  
“Wait, why not?”  
“Because you can’t tell anyone! None of them would understand! None of them would remember after a reload. The only reason I remember your death is because I, too, had that power. Anyone without it just… can’t know.”  
“But…”  
“No buts! This is more complicated than you know! Look, just… trust me, okay?”  
“I… okay. I trust you, Flowey.”  
Flowey sighed in relief.  
“Okay, good. Thank you. Now let’s get going.”

And so they continued on. Every time they encountered a monster, Frisk found some way to spare it. They were fantastic at dodging, it seemed, and patient enough to take the time to appease each monster. At last, they reached Toriel’s house. Upon entering, they were hit with a very pleasant smell. Toriel came out from the kitchen and smiled brightly.  
“My child, you are here! I’m making… Oh.” Her eyes settled on Flowey, still in the doorway. “…Friend of yours?” Toriel asked sharply. “You may not come in, weed.”  
“Huh? Why can’t he?” Frisk asked, looking back. “And his name is Flowey.”  
“He will break my floor popping in, or get dirt all over.” The tone of Toriel’s voice said it was more than that, but Frisk tilted up their chin, a gleam entering their eyes.  
“Do you have a flower pot? He can use that, can’t he? He’s my friend.”  
“My child… you are strange.”  
“That’s me!”  
“…Very well.”  
She seemed annoyed about it. But nonetheless, she stepped into the hallway, then came back a few minutes later with a large pot and gardening spade. Frisk took them and filled the pot with loose soil, then held it out to Flowey. The flower carefully uprooted and got in the pot. Then Frisk picked it up, smiling brightly.  
“Tadah!”  
“Now then. Come in, my child. I am baking a pie just for you!”  
Toriel smiled again. As Frisk stepped inside, she definitely smelled something baking, though she couldn’t quite place it.  
“Smells yummy!”  
“I am glad. But it is not ready yet, and once it is, it must cool. So you have some time to rest up. This way.” She led Frisk to a small bedroom, patted their shoulder, then walked off to the kitchen.

Frisk looked around the room, wandering here and there.  
“Looks like it’s made for a kid, not really someone my size… What’s with all the green striped shirts?” they mused aloud. Flowey frowned, leaves drooping a little.  
“Toriel… had her own child, long ago. And later on, adopted another. But they both died, and she went insane. That’s why she wants to adopt every human child around, but when they start to seem like they might leave, she snaps.”  
“That’s… that’s so sad…” Frisk slowly sat on the bed, hugging the pot to themself. “Poor Toriel… A mother losing their child is such a tragedy… It’s not her fault she gets anxious about other children.”  
“Frisk, are you listening to yourself? It doesn’t matter if it’s not her fault, she still killed them!”  
“Well, I know, but…”  
“But what? She’s dangerous. That’s why we need to figure out how to slip past her as soon as possible.”  
“But if I leave without telling her, she’ll be really upset.”  
“But at least you won’t die!”  
“Still. Maybe if I just talk to her…”  
“You’re crazy. You’re just crazy.”  
“I’ve been told that before. I’m taking a nap now.”  
They set down the flower pot and got into the bed. Flowey sighed heavily, but fell silent then.

\- - - - - - - -

Upon waking, Frisk discovered a slice of pie on the nightstand. They still weren't quite sure what kind it was, but it had a spiral shell design etched into it, seemingly from a toothpick. They found a lunchbox in the corner of the room, dusted it off, and put the pie slice inside. Then they picked up Flowey and headed out of the bedroom. Toriel was reading in an easy chair in the living room. When Frisk walked up with a cheerful smile, she looked up and smiled as well.  
"Hello, my child! Did you sleep well?"  
"Yes, I did. The bed was a little small for me, but it was so soft."  
"Ah, yes, it was made for a smaller child. Er, tell me, are you even still a child? It is hard to tell with humans."  
"Actually, I'm 18. I'm legally an adult, hehe…"  
"Is that so? Well, to a mother, her child is always her child."  
"Yeah, I guess so…" Now seemed as good a time as any. "But I already have a mom, Toriel. And I really have to get back to her and Dad. So if could show me the exit…?"  
Toriel closed her book, her smile fading. "…Excuse me a moment." She hurried out of the room. Frisk watched her go, confused.  
"Wait, Toriel…?"  
"She didn't kill you. Huh. But, um, I think you should go after her. I've got a bad feeling about this," Flowey piped up.  
Frisk nodded slowly, then followed Toriel to the hallway, down the stairs, and into a much darker hall.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: FINALLY, here is chapter 1! I had a lot of trouble writing this one, just because... I'm not very interested in the ruins at all >.>;;; I want to hurry up and get to Sans. But there's a lot of groundwork that has to be laid down in the ruins, so I had to make myself go through it. Sadly, I couldn't smoosh it all into one chapter, so chapter 2 is going to be the ruins also. But maybe, at the end, we'll get Sans! Maybe! We'll see!

As for the name of this AU, I'm still deciding between a few. I think I want it to be either PoisonFell or CurseFell. Can't decide which one...~ Help me figure it out, guys!

If you KUDOS, then please also COMMENT!

Undertale and all characters therein (c) Toby Fox

The Buttercup Curse storyline (c) me


End file.
